Apparatus for cleaning pipes.



U. s. ARMSTRONG. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPES.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 5. 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

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Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

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U. S. ARMSTRONG. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPES. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5, 1-011,

" proved ULYSSIJS S. ARMSTRONG, OF

NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR- CLEANING PIPES.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that l, ULrssEs S. ARM- s'riiono, a. resident of New Kcnsington, iii the county of ll estnioreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Apparatus for Clean ing Pipes; and Ido hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. 1

tilinvention relates to pipe cleaning ina chines, and has special reference to, a machine for cleaning the interior of metal pipes. H

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and etlicient form of nachine, which will automatically clean the interior surface of metal pipes by brushing the same, such as with wire brushes, to re: move scale, dirt, etc, usually attendantin the same and without any unnecessary handling the pipe.

To these ends my invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement, con-' struction and combination of parts as here inafter inore specifically set forth and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to Whica iny inventionappertains, to construct and use my improved machine for cleaning pipe, I will describe the same more fully, "erring to the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine,

Fig. 2. Fig. is an enlarged plan view of a part of the machine. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line b -ti, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 a like sect on on the line 7-7, Fig. 5.

big. o is a side view showing the reversing mechanism. F 1g. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal section on the line 9-9, Fig. 5.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of the figures ofthe drawings.

As illustrated in the drawing my imapparatus for cleaning pipe is mounted on a suitable frame A, at the front of which is located a table B upon which the pipe is laid for cleaning. f t the rear of the machine and positioned near the floor are the pulleys 1 and 2, said first nained pulley being fixed securely to a main shaft 3 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5,

Patented Dec. 19, 1911 1911. Serial No. 625,373.

which extends toward the front of the machine, while the pulley 2 is loosely mounted on such shaft. Another pulley 4 is mounted on the shaft 3 at a position in frontof the pulleys 1 and 2, while the shaft 3 is'j'our'naled in a housing 5 between the pulleys l and 2 and the pulley at.

jouriialed in suitable housings 6 are the provided with a pulley 9 which is secured thereto in any suitable manner, and a belt 10 extends between such 4 onthe shaft 3. The shaft 7 is provided wit-h another pulley 11 thereon and in front of the pulley 9, while the shaft 8 is provided with a like pulley 12 thereon and a belt 13 tits around such saiue together. Atthe frontv end of each of the shafts 7 and 8 a chuck 14 is fixed and holds a rod 15 therein which extends over the roar-of the table 13 and has a suitable thereof in such a way that it may be detached from said rod and a new one applied when desired. Therods 15 are contained for the greater part of their length in suitable tubula-r guides 17, ported on the frame 18, and at the rear of .the guides 17 and located below each of the rods 15 is a flanged or grooved pulley 19, while such pulleys are carried by a shaft 20 which is the frame A by suitable housings 21' and such shaft is loosely rotatable therein.

- Fixed securely to the end of the table B are a pair of hinged bearings 22, which are are fixed. These pulleys 24 are situated directly above the rods 15, while a pair of flanged or grooved pulleys 24 are located .ashaft 25, which is jo'urnalod in the housings 26 on each side of the frame A, and said shaft also carries a pair of bevel gears 27 and 28 thereon and at the left hand. side of the pulleys 2a.

The main shaft 3 is journaled at intervals throughout the length of the same with suitable housings, such as-the housing 29 atthe front end of the same, and said shaft gear 31 secured to the lower end of a. vertiand is fixedly secured thereto '80 Situated on the top of the frame A and shafts 7 and 8, the first named shaft being pulley and the pulley pulleys for connecting the wire or other brush 16 fixed to the free end which are supsupported on adapted to carry a shaft 23 between the same and upon which a pair of pulleys 24',

directly below the same and are carried by 3% is provided with a bevel gear 30 secured 'to said shaft and meshes with a larger bevel i The trip rod the same by being slidably hand side of said rack,

cal shaft 32. and held in proper The shaft 32 is supported alinement by means of a U-shaped bracket 33, which is slidably mounted on the main shaft 3 by the hearing portions 34, while the vertical shaft 32 is contained in t e bearing portion 35 at the center of said bracket. The vertical shaft is further provided with a small bevel gear 36 at the upper end of the same, and su h gear is adapted to engage alternatively with the bevel gears 27 and 28 on the shaft 25, while said vertical shaft is journaled near the upper end of the same in a housing 37 which is slidably mounted on a cross beam 38 by slotted holes 39 in such housing. Extending out from the right hand end of the housing 37 and pivotally mounted therein at oneend of the same is the rod 40 whose other end is pivotally mounted on an eccentric disk 41, which is secured to the end of a shaft. 42 and rests in a recess 43 in the cross beam 38. Theshaft 42 is journaled in suitable housings 44 in the cross beams 38 and 45 and is provided with a gear 46, which is securely mounted upon the same and is adapted to mesh with a rack 47 positioned above mounted in a bracket 48 secured to the cross beam 38 in any suitable manner. The rack 47 is connected to the side of the frame A by means of a spiral spring 49 connected to the right while the other end of the same is provided with a bar 50, which is slidably mounted in suitable bearings and has a slot 51 in the upper face of the same. A latch 52 is pivotally mounted at one end of the same in the cross beam 38, and such latch is adapted to rest on the upper face of the bar 50, while the other end of said latch is connected to the bar 53, as hereinafter described.

Immediately in frontof each of -the chucks 14 on the shafts 7 and 8 is a trip rod 54, which has a forked upper end 55, and such fork straddles the rods 15, while the lower end of the 'same is secured on a shaft 56 in the journals 57 on the frame A. 54 is also provided with a spring 58, which is connected to a cross beam 59 t hold said rod in a forwardly inclinedposition. Near the left hand end of the shaft 56, and secured thereto is a bar 60 which extends upward therefrom at a forwardly inclined angle and is pivotally connected to a bar 61 which extends toward the front of the machine. The bar 61 is provided with the angle bar 62 at its forward end and such bar is pivotally mounted thereon at its lower end and pivotally mounted at its upper end to the bar 53 which connects with the latch 52 through a slot 63 in said bar engaging with a pin 64 on said latch, while said angle bar is pivotally secured at its center by a"'rod 62 I rods.

shaft is connected by shaft and to said table B is a foot., which is located on the end of a 7 bar through a pin x68 ill said bar and a slotted hole 69 in said l'ev errf The use and operation of my improved apparatus for cleaning pipe is as follows. The pipes to be cleaned are placed on the table B and the pulley 1 is set in motion by means of a belt from any suitable source of power, so that the shaft 3 'is thereby rotated and revolves the pulley 4 on the same, which pulley being connected with the pulley 9 on the shaft 7 by means of the .belt 10 causes the same to be rotated and thereby rotates the pulley 11 which is connected to the pulley 12 on the shaft 8 by a belt 13. The chucks 14 being securely fastened to the ends of the shafts 7 and 8 which are now revolving, and the rods 15 being secured in. said chucks, such rods will revolve and thus revolve the brushes 16 on the end of such Considering the bevel gear 36 on the vertical shaft 32 in a position meshing with the gear '28 on the shaft 25 and the main shaft 3 now being in motion through the pulley 1 being connected to the source of power, the

bevel gear 30 thereon meshing with the bevel gear 31 on the vertical shaftwill drive. the shaft 25 through the. medium of the gears 36 and 28, and thus rotate the flanged pulleys 24 on said last named shaft. The machine is now ready for cleaning pipe and the operator stands at the front of the table B and by placing his foot on the treadle 65 turns the shaft 66 which is adapted to turn a suflicie-nt distance to cause the lever 67 on the endof the same to orce the bar 50, to which said lever is connected, to the left, and the rack 47 connected to the right hand end of said bar will thus be forced toward the left, thereby placing tension on thespiral spring 49, which is secured between the end of the said rack and the frame A. As the rack 47 is thus drawn to the left the latch 52. pivotally mounted of the same in the cross beam 38 will drop into the slot 51 on the upper face of the bar 50 and hold the same in the desired osition, while the gear 46 on the shaft 42 will be turned by its engagement with said rack and will in turn operate the-eccentric disk 41 on the front end of said shaft, thus forcing the rod 40 to a,horizontal position, which will push the slidable housing 37 toward the loft, and thus rock the vertical shaft 32 by means of the bracket 33 on the at one end" main shaft 3. The bevel gear 36 on the vertical shaft will now be disengaged from the bevel gear 28 on the shaft 25 and will mesh with the bevel gear 27 on the same shaft and will thus cause the motion of said shaft to be reversed. The pipes are now placed over-the ends of the brushes 16 on the rods 15 and pushed forward until they are received by the fianged'pulleys 24 on the shaft 25 which are now revolving, after which such pulleys together with vthe pulleys 24 on the pipe will carry thepipe forward on the rods 15, through the guides 17 and pass the same over the flanged pulleys 19, after which the end of the pipe strikes against the forked end 55 of the trip rod 54 and forces the same into a vertical position, which will thus turn the shaft 56 and raise the bar 20 60, which in turn draws the bar 61 toward the rear of the machine and-raises the latch 52 from the slot 51 in the bar 50 by means of theangle bar 62 and the bar 53 connecting the bar 61 with said lever. As-the latch 52 is raised from the slot 51 in the bar 50 the spiral spring 49 connected to the frame A draws the rack 47 to the right, thus revolving gear 46 on the shaft 42, which in turn operates the eccentric all on said shaft, so that the rod 40 connected to said eccentric draws the slidable housing 37 to the right and thus rocks the vertical shaft 32 by means ofthe Lil-shaped bracket 33 on the main shaft 3, which will disengage the bevel 35 gear 36 on said vertical shaft. from the beyel gear 27 on the shaft 25' and cause the seine to mesh with the bevel gear 28 on, saidlast named shaft to thus reverse the direction; of rotation of saidshaft. As the shaft 25 is 40 thus reversed the flanged pulleys 24 thereon vill draw the pipe toward the front of the apparatus and will allow the trip rod 54 to be drawn to its normal position by means of the spiral spring 58 connected to such rod -25 and to the Gross beam 59, whereupon the shaft 56 willturn to thus cause the rod 60 to push the rod 61 toward the front of the machine and thus allow 'the bar 53 to drop by its slotted connection with the latch 52, 5- although said datch continues to ride upon the her 59 until machine is reversed by operator. as described. The pipes will thus be withdrawndrom the rods 15 by the flanged pulleys after which the operator may sin place his foot upon the treadle 55 to the rotation of said pulleys, may be upon the brushes in the manner described. has been removed from the brushes it may 59 he passed before a suitable compressed air or hydraulic jet to blow all the particles of rt, etc, from the interior or the same which havebeen detached therefrom by said hrushes.

it will t-lnalge that with my improved on the shaft 23 acting as weights,

After the pipe apparatus the pipe will be thoroughly cleansed fromany dirt, oxid, etc, which is usually attendant upon its interior surface, by means of the wire brushes, and such 0 caning is accomplished without any unnecessary handling of the same and will be quickly and efiectively accomplished, While the reciprocating motion of the machine will allow the interior of said pipe to be twice brushed and thus insure a clean and smooth surface.

In place of the drive pulleys at the rear of the'machine a gear wheel may behsubstt tuted and connected; direct to the source of power,'such as an engine or electric motor, while the apparatus may be used to clean the pipe either before or after the same has been subjected to the process known as pickling, and can be used to clean diil'erentshe es of pipe or other tubular articles.

lfiarious other modifications and changes in the use, design, construction and opera tion of my improved apparatus" for cleaning pipe may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-' l- 1. An apparatus for cleaning pipe comprising rotatable cleaning means, grooved rollers engaging with the pipe for feeding the same to engagesaid means, and movable means for engaging the pipe to hold the same on the rollers.

2. An apparatus for cleaning pipe comprising rotatable cleaning means, rollers engaging with the pipe for feeding the same over said means, and means for reciprocating said pipe on said cleaning means by said rollers to clean the same. 3. An apparatus. for cleaning pipe com prising rotatable cleaning means, flanged rollers engaging with the pipe for" feeding the same over said means, movable means for engaging with said pipe to hold the same in said rollers, and means for reciprocating said pipe on said cleaning means by said rollers to clean the same.

4:. An apparatus for cleaning" pipe comprising rotatable cleaning means. flanged rollers engaging with the pipe tor feeding the same over said means, a movable pulley for engaging with said pipe to hold-the same in said rollers. and. means for reciprbcating pipe on said cleaning means said rollers to clean. the some.

5.-fi21 apparatus for'cleaning pipe comprising rotateble cleaning means, groovedl rollers engaging with the pipe for feeding the same over said means, a hinged pulley above said rollers for engaging with the pipe to hold the same in said rollers, and means for reciprocating said pipe on saidcleaning means by said rollers to clean the same.

#3; ilsn'apparatus for cleaning pipe com 3 7 rollers engaging with the pipe for prising means and on said cleaning means by said rollers to clean the same. I

7. An apparatus for cleaning pipe com prising rotatable cleaning means, grooved rollers engaging with the pipe for feeding the same over said cleaning means, tubular means for guiding said pipe, and means for reciprocating said pipe by said rollers through said guiding means and on said cleaning means to olean'the same. 4

.8. An apparatus for cleaning pipe comprising rotatable cleaning means, means for .feeding the same over said cleaning means remote in a forward movement, and means engaged by the pipe in such movement for feeding the pipe in a backward movement over said cleaning means.

9. An apparatus for cleaning pipe com-- prising rotatable cleaning means, means for feeding the same over said cleaning means in a forward movement and tripping means engaged by the pipe insuch movement for feeding the pipe in a backward movement over said cleaning means. In testimony whereof, I, the said ULYssns S. Aims'rnono, have hereunto set my hand.

T. B. HUMPHRIES, J. N. Coons. 

